La Trobe University Industry Research Scholarship - Medibank and the Bouverie Centre
Background
This prestigious scholarship established by La Trobe University in partnership with Medibank Private, will be awarded to an outstanding applicant who is interested in generating new knowledge on the clinical and economic benefits of immediate “Walk-In” whole-of-family mental health support.
The COVID-19 context and the ongoing demands on the Victorian mental health system have highlighted high levels of need for accessible and timely therapeutic services. As a way of addressing this, The Bouverie Centre developed the Walk-in Together (WIT) Service. The WIT service offers participating families one session of therapy which is complete in itself, at the time that they request it. This service aims to meet the needs of the family on the day they present to the service without lengthy waiting times, restrictive eligibility criteria, complicated registration processes or the need for prior communication with families and therapist follow-up afterwards. Given its long-standing expertise in single session therapy, The Bouverie Centre set up this new accessible family mental health service. This project took place against the backdrop of the global COVID-19 pandemic, during which staff at The Bouverie Centre were providing family therapy via telehealth. Accordingly, the WIT service was delivered solely online using a web-based teleconferencing platform. A separate pilot with Indigenous families is now being seeded.
As an applicant for this scholarship, you should have an interest in family therapy; clinical model evaluation; lived experiences of different client groups; and economic benefits of clinical services. You will have a be enthusiastic about working within an integrated practice-research centre to achieve best practice outcomes for clients, practitioners and services.
The applicant will be required to conduct, for example: a systematic/rapid review; a waitlist comparison study; a qualitative study of client experiences; and/or a cost-benefit analysis study of Walk-In services versus service-as-usual. The proposed program of research will be refined in conjunction with the successful applicant. The successful applicant will be provided with exposure to multiple research methods and perspectives, with support from experienced clinicians, and qualitative, quantitative and health economics researchers.
This scholarship is available for PhD applicants.
Benefits of the scholarship include:
- a La Trobe Research Scholarship for three and a half years, with a value of $33,500.00 per annum, to support your living costs (2023 rate)
- a fee-relief scholarship for up to four years
- relocation allowance and publication/thesis allowance
- opportunities to work with La Trobe’s outstanding researchers and have access to our suite of professional development programs.
Are you eligible to apply?
To be eligible to apply for this scholarship, applicants must:
To be eligible to apply for this scholarship, applicants must:
- meet the entrance requirements for the PhD
- not be receiving another scholarship greater than 75 per cent of the stipend rate for the same purpose
- be an Australian and New Zealand citizen or Australian permanent resident
In selecting successful applicants, we prioritise applications from candidates who:
- will be enrolled full-time and undertaking their research at a La Trobe University campus
- have completed a Masters by Research or other significant body of research, such as an honours research thesis or lead authorship of a peer-reviewed publication, assessed at a La Trobe Masters by research standard of 75 or above
- are an Australian and New Zealand citizen or Australian permanent resident.
How to apply
If you wish to apply for this scholarship, follow Step 3 and 4 on our research application page – please ensure you submit a full application for scholarship and candidature
As part of your application please identify Dr Anna Booth as the supervisor – however please note that La Trobe will identify the final supervisory panel as part of the assessment process.
- In your application, clearly indicate that you wish to be considered for the La Trobe University Industry Research Scholarship (Medibank Private and The Bouverie Centre).
- A research proposal is not required for this application, as the framework of the project has been co-determined by The Bouverie Centre and Medibank. In lieu of a research proposal, the applicant is required to submit two samples of academic writing for consideration.
The applicant will be required to produce record of a valid Working With Children Check (WWCC) prior to commencing the position.
Selection process:
The University will carefully review your application and consider you for this scholarship.
If you are shortlisted for the scholarship and candidature, you will be invited to an interview with representatives of La Trobe and Medibank.
The final decision will be made based on your application and interview. The successful candidate will be made an offer for candidature and scholarship.
You will be advised of an outcome in August-September 2023.
Who to contact for further information
Dr Anna Booth, a.booth@latrobe.edu.au